Like I said in my last contribution, my Nana taught me to keep a comprehensive pantry. I've found that a pantry is not just a cupboard full of dry goods, but should include your fridge and freezer too.

All pantry's should have an assortment of non perishable, slow perishable, and perishable items.Your pantry should also contain a few convenience items as well. We do live in a world of working people who don't always have the time to create meals the long way. But we still want our meals to be tasty, reasonably cheap, and quick to prepare. So here follows a list of what my ideal pantry would always contain.

Non Perishable & Slow PerishablesWhite and Wholemeal Plain & SR Flour. CornFlour, Sugar (White, Brown, Raw & Caster Sugar), Assorted Pasta and Spaghetti. Tinned Tomatoes, Tinned Corn Kernels, Creamed Corn, Lentils (Dry & Tinned), Rice (Long grained, and Aborio) Instant Gravy, (assorted Stock Powders I prefer to use stock powders most of the time, because they can be used to flavour just about anything you're cooking, they're cheaper than the average liquid stock and you can always make up liquid stock by dissolving the powder in warm or hot water, that way you can also control the amount of salt or whatever that goes into your dish, by tasting the stock you make prior to use. Can't do that with premade liquid stock.)Tomato sauce a very important inclusion, (I call this the great forgiver.. It helps to round out the flavours of most sauces, and meat dishes that you may cook. Especially where fresh or tinned tomatoes are being used. Usually just a good squirt from a squeezy bottle is sufficient)Worcestershire Sauce, Chilli sauce, Sweet Chilli Sauce, Maggi Seasoning, Dried soup mix, instant soup mixes that you like2 min noodlesAssorted nutsChocolate chipsOlive oil, vegetable oil, garlic powder, curry powder, mixed herbs, thyme, rosemary, dried basil. and or a whole variety of your favourite dried herbsVinegars ( balsamic, red wine, white wine, apple cider, )

In the Freezer:Frozen Vegies, what ever you like, but a variety of vegetables is essential. from the small peas to the chunkier style. If you're a meat lover, well of course you should have a variety of meats, I love to get things like Lamb shanks, or casserole beef, as these are great to cook in the slow cooker while you're at work, you can come home to a ready cooked meal.Assorted Pastry sheetsLeft over cooked rice can be kept in the freezer for use at a moments notice, this makes great fried rice, or can be added to soups to bulk them up.

In the Fridge.Milk, Butter,, (YES BUTTER) Ghee, Tortilla Wraps, I have found the Mission Wholemeal Tortilla Wraps to be best in flavour and in ease of separation from the rest. They keep in the fridge for weeks as long as you close the packet after you've opened it.Cheeses of your preference and parmesan cheeseRoot gingerCelery, Carrots, Potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potato, red, green and yellow capsicums, spring onions, chivesTubes of herbs, Basil, Coriander, Chilli pasteFresh herbs: Rosemary, flat leaf parsley. fresh coriander.Tomato paste.

On the kitchen bench, or under the sink:Onions, garlic, Potatoes of all varieties. Salt, Pepper, Oils

So that's a start, head to my next contribution for the cheapest, quickest and nicest VEGAN Pasta dish I've ever cooked.. MMMmmmm